Condenser tab attaching apparatus



Nov. 9, 1943. F. WEISS 2,333,966

CONDENSER TAB ATTACHING APiARATUS Filed April 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 V gm W WM.

aiiw m m ATTORNEYS Nov. 9, 1943.

F. WEISS CONDENSER TAB ATTACHING APPARATUS Filed April 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o 0 o o O 1 O i 0 O l I ll 11: A l

Z .sli'ul 11' A INVENTOR @310 M PM- ATTORN EYS Patented Nov. 9, 1943 CONDENSER TAB ATTACHING APPARATUS Felix Weiss, Plainfleld, N. J., assignor to Cornell- Dubilier Electric Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application April 12,1940, Serial No. 329,313

12 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for attaching terminal tabs to the conducting strips of electrical condensers, and has for its object to provide a mechanism which eificiently attaches the tab with a good electrical contact.

It is frequently the practice to attach electrical conducting tabs, for connection withthe condenser terminals, to one or more of the conducting strips of electrical condenser which are of 'the type made by rolling up conducting strips between insulating strips. The conducting strips and the tabs are ordinarily a metal foil.

By the use of this invention the tab is quickly and permanently staked to the condenser sheet.

The invention will be understood from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of

which,

Fig. 1 shows a side view, partially in section, of the tab-attaching device;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged full sectional view taken from the same side of the device as Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing a punch and die arrangement used in this device, the mechanism being shown in the unoperated condition ready to attach a tab to a condenser foil;

Fig. 4 shows the same view as Fig. 3 but with the punch mechanism partially operated toward closed position;

Fig. 5 shows the-same view as Figs. 3 and d but with the punch mechanism moved to the completely closed position;

Fig, 6 shows a detail of a part of the device which moves a tab over the condenser sheet;

Fig. 7 shows a tab staked to a condenser foil in accordance with the operation shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5;

Fig. 8 shows a side view of a condenser winding machine having the tab-staking device incorporated therein; and

Fig. 9 shows a top view of the winding machine and staking device shown in Fig. 8. I

The device of Figs. 1 to 6 comprises a fixed lower jaw l suitably attached to a support 14 which should be firmly secured to a base (not shown) and a movable jaw l2 located above the fixed jaw Ill. Jaw I2 i movable in a vertical direction on 9. depending slide 13 having its central portion slotted from jaw 12 down to near the bottom of the slide, the two arms i311 and 13b of the slide being slidable through guides running vertically through the support 14 of jaw Ill. The lower end of slide 13 has attached to it a base l which is operated on by a link toggle mechanism which when operated serves to pull jaw l2 downward against the compression force of spring IS. The link toggle mechanism (shown in Figs. 1 and 8) comprises a pin l1 fastened to the fixed jaw l 0, this pin carrying a link 18 which is linked at a pin [9 to the arm 20 of a bell-crank which is pivoted at 2| to the base I5 of the movable jaw. Linked to the outer end of the other bellcrank arm 22 is a rod 23 which may be attached to a foot pedal (not shown) so that when the pedal is depressed the rod 23 is pulled down, thereby rotating the bellcrank to pull down the movable jaw l2 with great force.

There are fitted into the lower surface of movable jaw I2, three punches 24, 25 and 26, Each punch has an upper threaded end 21 (see Fig. 2) adapted to thread into athreaded hole 28 which extends vertically through the upper jaw l2. The lower end of each punch ispointed in the form of a nail point 29 in the general shape of a pyramid having several flat sides and corners as shown; and above the point there is provided a collar 30 having a shoulder 3 I. To hold the punch at the right elevation with respect to the jaw there is provided a locking screw 32 in the hole 28 above the punch shank 21 which is screwed down tightly against the top of screw 21, there being provided set screws 33 and 34 for holding the screws 21 and 32 in place.

Protruding up from the fixed jaw ID are three dies 35, 36 and 31 corresponding to the three punches 24, 25 and 26. These dies similarly have threaded ends 36 which thread into holes in the jaw, the dies having collars with shoulders 39 that bear on the flat surface of the jaw. Each die is provided with a cylindrical hole 40 of the proper diameter to receive the lower end of the punch when the upper jaw is depressed, and a flat surface or shoulder 41. In the depressing operation, the punch can enter the hole 40 of the die until the shoulders 3| and 4! engage.

' A plate 42 is held horizontally below jaw [2 by studs 43 and 44 the heads of which rest on shoulders placed in holes through the jaw and on the lower ends of which the plate is fastened by such means as screws. Compression springs 45 are placed around the studs to hold plate 42 normally in its lowermost position. Plate 42 is provided with three holes 41 properly placed and of the proper diameter to allow the collars 30 of the three punches to pass through with suificient clearance not to bind. The punch points are preferably located, in their normal unoperated positions, to lie within the respective hole 41 just above the bottom surface of plate 42, a shown n Fig. 3; although it could operate even if the point should lie somewhat below the bottom surface of plate 42.

A similar plate 50 is supported bystuds 5i and 52 the heads of which rest against shoulders in holes through jaw i0, this plate being held in its uppermost position by springs 58 placed around the supporting studs, Plate 50 is provided with three holes 55 of the proper position and diameter to allow the upper end of dies 85, 86 and 81 to pass easily therethrough; and in the normal unoperated position of the device, these dies are situated within their respective holes as shown in Fig. 3. When jaw I2 is pulled all the way down by operation of lever 23, the punches, plates and dies take the position shown in Fig. 5, the punch being within the die, the plate 42 being forced against the under surface of Jaw I2 against the compression of springs 45, and plate 50 being pushed further down over the dies against the compression of springs 53. To produce this action, springs 45 should be somewhat weaker than springs 53 so that plate 42 is pushed back toward its jaw l2 before plate 50 is pushed toward its jaw i0.

There are fixed to jaws I and I2, respectively, knives 90 and 9i having knife edges 82 and 98, which cut oil the foil tab strip I00 which is between them when the upper jaw i 2 is depressed.

For the purpose of supplying tab material to the punch and die member there is provided a roll 58 containing the strip I00 of tab material, which is preferably a heavy metal foil, mounted on a spindle 59. To feed this foil strip to the punch there is provided a frame containing two side plates 60 and ii, the forward ends of which are bolted to the upright member I4 of the fixed jaw. The other ends of these side plates are supported by legs 82 which may be fastened to a suitable base. Each of the plates .is provided with a vertical slot 64 above the legs, to receive the spindle 59, and there is provided an arcuate flooring strip 65 fastened between the rear 'bottom parts of the side pieces, on which the-rim of the foil roll rests. The width of this strip is such as to permit a proper spacing between the side plates to allow the foil roll freely to rotate between them. i

There are provided a pair of rigid rounded rods 58 and (Fig. 6) fastened at their front ends to the'lower jaw support I4 by brackets 66 and fastened at their rear ends to flooring strip 65. The rods are provided respectively with horizontal slots 48 and 49, into which the respective edges of the foil strip I00 from the roll are inserted, so that the strip can be carried forward along the slots. To prevent back lash of the foil there is provided a pawl 61 pivoted on a pin 69 passing between the side plates. A spring I0 bearing on the pawl causes the pawl to rotate down against the flat top 68 of the lower jaw support I4, so that the foil strip which has passed from slots 48 and 49 through the opening in slide I3, passes over jaw support I4 and under the pawl, which thus bears down on the strip.

For the purpose of feeding forward lengths of the foil tab I00 there is provided a manual feeding device Ii (Fig. 6) in the form of a frame I2 having a fiat platform 13, even with slots 48 and 49,.over which the foil strip can slide. There is formed in each side of the frame a rounded groove which is adapted to fit over and slide along the rounded rods 58 and 51. The upper aasaoee portion of the frame is provided with a pin 14" left end of member 1.5, referring to Fig. 2, there,

having pivoted on it a member II which has attached to it one end of a helical tension spring 18 passing around pin I4, the other end being placed against the side of the frame at II so that member I5 tends to rotate counterclockwise (with reference to Fig. 2). At the top of the:

is a curved finger piece 18, and at the opposite end there is a. depending lip I8 which is normally kept out of engagement with the foil strip I00 by action of the spring I6. At the bottom I: of the frame piece there is a depending pin 84 to which is attached one end of a long. coiled spring 85. This spring is carriedover a pulley 88 which is freely rotatable on a pin 81 fastened between the side plates 88 and 8i, and has its opposite end fastened to a pin 88 which is also fixed between the side plates. Spring 85 tends to hold member II against a stop in the formof a clip block III fastened over its sides 88 andv 8i. At the bottom of the block is a short curved member 8, having attached to its under surface a soft piece II8 such as felt which is in contact with the tab strip I00 passing under it.

The parts are so arranged that'when the operator pulls member II to the right (with reference to Fig. 2) by placing his finger in the curved finger grip, the lip I8 is depressed against the force of spring I8 into contact with the foil strip on the track,-thus pulling the foil forward until the frame of member Ii strikes a stop in the form of a block which may be placed over the walls 60 and ii at any desired position, and fastened by a set screw, the position of this stop determining the length of foil strip which is fed along the track and out through the space between legs I 3 to a position between plates 42 and 50, by each operation of member II.

This tab staking device is especially effective when used in cooperation with a roll winding machine such as is commonly used for winding foil and insulating strips on a mandrel to form the condensers. Such an arrangement is shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the member I4 of the Jaw I0 being attached to the frame 94 of the winding machine, so that the space between the plates 42 and 50 lies in the path of the condenser foil travelling to the mandrel. The winding machine is of a general form, well-known in the art, having a number of spindles 95 fastened to the frame, on which are placed the several conducting and insulating strip rolls, the strips ,of which are suitably led between rollers H0 and I II to a winding mandrel 96 which may be power-driven by a pulley 91 and belt 98 to roll up the strips into the condenser roll. Thefoil strip 99 which is to be tabbed, is shown carried over a pin II2, then under a pin H3, then guided between the plates 42 and 50 on its way to the mandrel.

When it is desired to stake a tab the rotation of the mandrel is stopped, and the operator by operation of finger member I8 feeds a length of tab which thus passes from the track, over knife blade 90 and then over foil 99 and under plate 42, so that the length of the tab strip is perpendicular to the length of thevcondenser strip, in the arrangement shown. This feeding occurs because the pressure on member I8 rotates lip 19 into frictional engagement with the tab strip, and also slides the entire frame I2 along the rods 58 and 5! against the tension of spring 85. The finger piece can then be released, allowing the member II to be pulled back by spring out of engagement with the tab material and against the stop H1. The stop 89 should previously be set relative to the width of the foil strip 99 so that when the operator pulls forward the finger piece 18 there will be fed over the foil strip a length of tab just sumcient to cross the foil.

The staking operation is then performed by a quick pressure on the foot lever 23 which by pulling down jaw l2 rapidly performs the following sequence: Plates 42 and 50 are brought together, holding the foil strip and tab flrmlyin position between them. Then springs 45 compress so that the punch points come down I through the respective holes in plate 42 and pierce the tab and foil, tearing the material, in the manner illustrated in Fig, 4 so that pointed ends IOI and I02 are formed respectively of the foil and the tab material.

The punch continues to pass through the aligned holes in plates 42 and 50, and then the springs 53 of plate 50 compress so that plate 50 then moves down over the dies. Finally, the shoulders 3| and M of the punch and die crimp between them the turned ends IOI and I02 of the foil and tab into the position shown in Fig. 5. At the same time the knife blades 00 and 9| sever the tab, leaving a definite length protruding from the side of the condenser foil, as shown in Fig. 7. The end of the condenser foil may then be severed at I03 in any desired manner. Then the foot lever is released, allowing the jaw to retract to the normal position by action of the springs, thus leaving a well staked permanent tab as shown in Fig. 7.

The foil strip forming the other conducting strip of the condenser may for example have had a terminal tab already staked to it by a previous operation without the winding machine; and this other strip if short enough may be held in the operators hand as it is fed to the mandrel; or alternatively, this other strip might have an unstaked tab attached to it by rolling the end of the foil strip over the tab in a well known manner.

Although the tab-staking'device is shown in cooperation with the winding machine its use is not limited to this machine, for terminal tabs might be staked to condenser foils whether the condensers are being wound on the machine or not.

I claim:

1. A machine for winding roll condensers comprising a winding mandrel and sources of conducting and insulating strips which are to be wound on the mandrel to form the condensers, the conducting strips being separated from each other in their path of travel to the mandrel, a plate having a hole over which a separated con,- ducting strip passes, a punch located on the side of the last mentioned conducting strip opposite from said plate, said punch having a shoulder and terminating in a point which is positioned to pass through said hole, a cooperating die having a hole adapted to receive the punch point and a shoulder around the die hole adapted to abut against the shoulder of the punch, a source of terminal tab strip located adjacent the plate, a strip feeder operable to feed a length of said tab strip between said punch and plate and across the surface of the last-mentioned conducting strip, where it may be attached tothe last-mentioned conducting strip byoperation of the punch.

2. In a machine for winding roll condensers comprising a winding mandrel and sources of conducting and insulating strips which are to be wound on the mandrel to form the condensers, the conducting strips being separated from each other in their path of travel to the mandrelz' a pair of plates facing each other between which one of said separated conducting strips passes, each of said plates being provided with holes, there being punch points with shoulders back of the points adapted to protrude through the holes in one of said plates and through the lastmentioned conducting strip, and there being corresponding dies adapted to protrude through the holes of the other plate to meet the punches, said plates being resiliently depressible toward the punches and dies respectively when the punches are operated toward the dies, a source of terminal tab strip located beside said pair of plates, a strip feeder operable to feed lengths of said tab strip between said plates and across the surface of the last-mentioned conducting strip, and a knife correlated with the punches for cutting off said tab from its supply at a position outside the edge of said conducting strip-when the punches are operated into the dies.

3 -A machine for winding roll condensers comprising a Winding mandrel and sources of conducting and insulating strips which are to be wound on the mandrel to form the condensers,

the conducting strips being separated from each other in their path of travel to the mandrel, a punch having a shoulder and terminating in a point and a cooperating die having a hole adapted to receive the punch point and a shoulder on its end adapted to abut against the shoulder of the punch, a plate having a hole through which the die and its shoulder may protrude,

resiliently held in front of the die and depressible toward the die after the punch enters said hole, said punch and plate being located on opposite sides of at least one of said separated conducting strips, a source of terminal tab strip located beside the conducting strip which passes-between the punch and plate, a strip feeder operable to feed a length of said tab strip between said punch and plate and across the surface of the last mentioned conducting strip, whereby a condenser may be rolled on the mandrel, a tab attached before completion of the roll, and the winding of the roll then completed on the mandrel.

4. Tab attaching mechanism comprising a pointed punch having a shoulder located back of the point, a cooperating die having a hole dimensioned to receive the punch point and having around the hole a shoulder adapted to abut against the shoulder of the punch, said punch and die being held by respective cooperating jaws, a plate provided with a hole through which the punch and its shoulder may protrude, said plate being mounted on studs each of which has a shoulder adapted to rest against a shoulder of the punch holding jaw, spring means for resiliently holding the stud shoulders against the jaw shoulders to hold said plate substantially at or in front of the punch point, a second plate having a hole through which the die may protrude, said second plate being-mounted on studs each of which has a shoulder adapted to rest against a shoulder of the die holding jaw, and spring means for resiliently holding the shoulders of the last mentioned studs against the shoulders of the die holding jaw to hold said second plate in front of the die, and somewhat apart from, and facing, the first mentioned plate.

5. Tab attaching mechanism comprising a pointed punch having a shoulder located back of the point, a cooperating die having a hole dimensioned to receive the punch point and having around the hole a shoulder adapted to abut against the shoulder of the punch, said punch and die being held by respective cooperating Jaws, a depressible plate mounted on plural spring supported studs to the die holding Jaw and resiliently held in front of the shoulder of the die, and a second depressible plate mounted on plural spring supported studs to the punch holding Jaw and resiliently held in front of the punch point and facing the first mentioned plate, said first mentioned plate having an opening through which the die and its shoulder may protrude and the second plate having an opening through which said separated conducting strips passes, each of said plates being provided with holes, there being punch points with shoulders back of the points adapted to protrude through the holes in one of said plates and through the last-mentioned conducting strip, and there being corresponding dies adapted to protrude through the holes of the other plate to meet the punches, a strip feeder located beside said pair of plates operable to feed lengths of tab strip between said plates and across the surface of the last-mentioned conducting strip, said plates being mounted on spring supported studs and depressible toward each other and toward their respective punches and dies when the punches are operated toward the dies while the winding mandrel is stopped so as the punch and its shoulder may protrude, whereby when the punch and die are moved together,

strips of material between the plates are gripped by the plates, then burred by the punch and then the burrs are flattened between the shoulders.

6. Condenser tab attaching mechanism comprising pointed punches having shoulders located back of the points, cooperating dies having holes dimensioned to receive the corresponding punch points and shoulders around the die holes adapted to abut against the shoulders of the punches, said punches and dies being held by respective cooperating Jaws, a gripping plate provided with holes through which the punches and their shoulders may protrude, said plate being mounted on spring supported studs afllxed to the punch holding jaw and resiliently held at or in front of the punch points, a second ripping plate having holes through which the dies and their shoulders may protrude. said second plate being mounted on spring supported studs aflixed'to the die holdingjaw and resiliently held in front of. the dies and somewhat apart from and facing the first mentioned sripp ns plate.

7. In a machine for winding roll condensers comprising a winding mandrel and source of conducting and insulating strips which are to be wound on the mandrel to form the condensers, the conducting strips being separated from each other in their path of travel to the mandrel: a

pair of plates facing each other between which one of said separated conducting strips passes, each of said plates being provided with holes, there being punch points with shoulders back of the points adapted to protrude through the holes in one of said plates and through the last-memtioned conducting strip, and there being corresponding dies adapted to protrude through the holes of the other plate to meet the punches, said plates being resiliently depressible toward the punches and dies respectively and compresslble-toward each other so as togrip said con-- ducting strip and the terminal tab fed across-it from a source located beside said pair of plates so as to position same to be punched by the operation of the punches and corresponding dies, and a knife correlated with the punches for cutting of! definite lengths of tab from its supply at a position outside of said conducting strip when the punches are operated.

8. In a machine for winding roll condensers comprising a winding mandrel and source of conducting and insulating strips which are to be wound on the mandrel to form the condensers, the conducting strips being separated from each other in their path of travel to mandrel: a pair of plates facing each other between which one of ends formed by the piercing,and subsequently opto grip momentarily said conducting strip and said tab fed from the aforesaid source. and a knife actuated by movement of the punch to'out oi! definite lengths of terminal tab from its supply at a position outside of said conducting strip.

9. In a machine for winding roll condensers comprising a winding mandrel and source of conducting and insulating strips which are to be wound on the mandrel to fonn the condensers, the conducting strips being separated from each other in their path of travel to the mandrel: a plate having a hole under which a separated conducting strip passes, a punch with a shoulder and terminating in a point which is positioned to pass through the hole of said plate, a second plate having a hole positioned opposite the hole of said first-mentioned plate and over which said separated conducting strip passes, a die positioned in the hole of said second plat to receive the punch point and having a shoulder to abut against the shoulder of the punch, said punch and die being held by cooperating Jaws, spring means for resiliently holding the aforementioned plates in front of the punch point and cooperating die and sufliciently separated to permit the conducting strip to pass freely therebetween, a strip feeder adjacent to the plates operable to feed a length of tab strip from a supp y source between the plates and across the surface of the conducting strip, means for actuating the jaws so that the tab and conducting strip are first gripped by said plates, so as to position them to be pierced by the punch at the same time that the definite tab length is out after which the pierced ends of th tab and conducting strip are turned back and flattened between the shoulders of the punch and die.

10. In a machine for applying tabs to condenser foils the combination with a pair of plates, a mechanism for feeding foil and tab strips between said plates in position to be fastened together, operating means for moving said plates to press said foil and tab strips together in said fastening position, subsequently acting punch means actuated by a continued movement of said operating means to pierce through the tab strips-within the area being gripped by said plates and to bend apart the erated die means actuated by further movement of said operating means and cooperating with said punch means to crimp over said ends so as to secure the tab to the foil strip within the area being gripped by said plates.

11. The combination as set forth in claim'li) in which operating means for one of the clamping plates carries the punching mechanism and comprises relatively weak spring supporting means for the plate, and operating means for the other plate carries the die means and hasa supporting means of sufliciently greater resistance to support tinued movement of said operating means to pierce through the tab strips within the area being gripped by said plates and to bend apart the ends formed by the piercing, and subsequently operated die means actuated by further movement of said supporting members and cooperating with said punch means to crimp over said ends so as to secure the tab to the foil strip within the area being gripped by said plat-cs.

FELIX WEISS. 

